STONER MOUNTAIN BLOG

31 January, 2017

Some good news but more bad news from zhOra, a four-piece progressive metal band from Clonmel, Ireland. Well, the good news first. On January 20, they have released footage of their live performance at Wacken 2016. zhOra played three songs from their upcoming album. They band delivered a great performance and it seems like they had an awesome experience at the festival. Watch the show in the video above.

Live at Wacken 2016 tracklist:

The Breach

Sin Eater

Jettatura

The bad news is their bassist, Richie McCormack, has decided to retire from the band due to health reasons. Read below the press release from zhOra.

// YOU CAN’T KILL A BAD THING \\

Achieving your dreams is a cliché. It doesn’t necessarily mean it can’t happen. After only five years as a group, we walked onto a stage at Wacken Open Air. Being able to put a bit of cynicism aside for 22 minutes was good. Being stopped by Belgian police and having to explain what we were doing with five of the finest Tipp hurleys in a Transit Van was also pretty good.

Unfortunately, since August of 2015 Richie has been living with a Brain Tumour which has been causing him severe Epileptic Fits. Since the day we found out we knew we were running on borrowed time. Being onstage playing to a crowd of literal thousands was the best time for our boy to call it a day, so Richie’s leaving the band to look after his health.

Seeing as we’ve had time with the situation, there are no more sad feelings about anything, so with that we say Goodbye to our Part-time Musician, Professional Codologist; Richie McCormack and welcome his replacement: Alan Hanlon (Nautilus). The fact people call him “Batman” did not influence our decision making process too much. - zhOra

30 January, 2017

The DESERTFEST LONDON 2017 day and stage splits are here, along with individual day tickets! Discover the highlights, venue details and the full list of bands that will grace Camden with their heavy riffs on April 28-30th.

Last things first, let's get straight to that insane Sunday main-stage. To celebrate The Roundhouse venue joining the Desertfest family, we made their debut appearance something special. Not only will stoner doom icons SLEEP be topping the bill, but the Roundhouse hosts a full bill of huge acts. CANDLEMASS, with over three decades of underground acclaim to their name, bring the epic doom metal. USA's WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM bring the atmospheric black metal. Traditional doom metal stalwarts SAINT VITUS bring the classic riffs. And how about this for a 'curtain jerker'? BONGZILLA bring the raw weed metal for their second show of the weekend; more on the first later.

It's not just about the Sunday though. Friday's stage at the Electric Ballroom is headlined by returning heroes SLO BURN whose short run in the mid 90s furthered the then fledgling stoner rock scene. One band they surely had an impact on is LOWRIDER, who play Europe's finest stoner rock alongside them. Ukraine's STONED JESUS celebrate their resonant album Seven Thunders Roar, and 1000MODS and PONTIAK round up the main stage on the Friday.

The Electric Ballroom on Saturday will be swarming with Turbojugends as death-punk grandmasters TURBONEGRO turn Camden into party central. JOHN GARCIA sticks around for a solo show, sure to feature classics from his years of nonstop mastery in the stoner rock scene. Sheffield's rock and roll five piece BLACK SPIDERS visit London for one last time on their farewell tour, with SATAN'S SATYRS and AVON rounding up the main stage.

As ever though, it doesn't stop at the main stages. Our regular partners have delivered three stages with diverse lineups. Human Disease Promo and When Planets Collide take over The Underworld on Saturday in a bill headlined by BONGZILLA with a special set celebrating the band's early work. The Quietus stage is led by synth wavers ZOMBI, and Nightshift Promotions bring an eclectic mix led by Hungary's APEY & THE PEA.

TICKET PRICES are as follows:

Full weekend - £100

Friday - £40

Saturday - £40

Sunday - £45

A 'smart package' including festival pass + hotel room at Camden Lock Hotel can be purchased for the weekend from £245.

30 January, 2017

On 26 May, the Effenaar in Eindhoven hosts the second Eindhoven Psych Lab Presents of the year. Headlining is the incredible neo-kraut sensation Föllakzoid (CL) with new songs, supported by our co-hosts RMFTM (Eindhoven), TRAAMS (UK), The Lucid Dream (UK) and the Turkish/Dutch sensation Altin Gün who rock the afterparty with the best Turkish psych from the lowlands. Click here for more info

Modulab & Eindhoven Psych Lab VJ team
This evening and night will feel like a proper Psych Lab day thanks to the futuristic visuals by the Eindhoven Psych Lab VJ-team and the modular synth towers from the Modulab team who premiered their synth jams at the festival last year.

Eindhoven Psych Lab Presents: Moon Duo | 5 April | Effenaar
For the first EPL Presents of 2017 (5 April) we already invited Moon Duo. They will play their brand new album ‘Occult Architecture’ for the first time in Eindhoven om 5 April. Click here for more info

30 January, 2017

And that's all folks. I'm presenting you the last group from Greece, Dope Default from Thessaloniki. The band has just released their second EP called Tales from the Wasteland.

What awaits you is a throwback to 90s stoner/hard rock and grunge. The band draws their influences mainly from Monster Magnet with a little bit of Queens of the Stone Age and Corrosion of Conformity. Although Dope Default sounds a bit raw at first, each of the 6 songs on their extended play features some strong melodies paired with an almost manic dose of groove.

One or two songs didn't appeal to me, but overall a nice grungy stoner rock collection from a relatively new band. I definitely enjoy the EP. Check it out if mentioned bands are up your alley.

27 January, 2017

I'm almost coming to an end with the Greek week on Stoner Mountain, which actually has been almost two weeks since I started it. Here are the last few bands. Lets start with Mother Desert, an instrumental psychedelic/stoner rock group from Nea Peramos.

They released their debut album Sand Hills January 12 and it's full of warm psychedelic jams. The sound is raw, gentle, hard, soft, warm, all within the same album. The music on it's own is enough to make you smile, but stop and think about this for a moment. Imagine your listening to this album, while you're sitting on your porch with a cold beer in your hand, enjoying the perfect weather in your free time.

Without a doubt, here we have a very good album that should be in your hands in case you are interested in hearing some solid instrumental desert rock. Of course, it has some flaws, but who cares. You can almost feel the sand in your shoes and the sunshine beating down onto your face.

26 January, 2017

Dead Man's Band is a band that you'd expect to hear in a good ole coffee-shop or a good independent record store. Their third album, Back In The Alley, continues the style of their two previous releases, so if you’re familiar with those albums you will know what to expect from their latest record. Eight songs are included and once again we can hear a fantastic, bluesy retro rock.

Most bands concentrate on creating catchy singles that will sell their albums. Rarely do they try to put together a strong collection of songs that one can listen to from beginning to end. This album is definitely not one of those. The emotions of the music and the listener change with each track. This band is as tight as a band can get, and the vocalist is putting raw soul back into rock and roll. Each song is blessed with catchy hooks, memorable melodies and they know when to hold back and when to unleash a torrent of sound. I like that the keyboard is more present on this record. It seems like the band has been working very hard in making Back In The Alley sound bigger than any of their previous releases. The songs have variety and show off the depth of talent.

But Back In The Alley is probably not their best album, because the debut is still unbeatable, although it's a sensational album. Truly beautiful music and retro rock at its finest. You can't go wrong with any of the songs, they are all great. This music gets you rocking. I hope to enjoy new music from these guys for many more years to come.

P.S. Please support these guys. Buy it for yourself. Gift it to loved ones. Gift it to the neighbors who always play crap music! You shouldn't even have wasted the time reading my stupid review. You could have downloaded it while you were reading and been listening by now :)

25 January, 2017

Dead Man's Band had me back in 2012 with their marvellous self-titled debut album. The female-fronted retro-rockers from Piraeus were so underground you needed a shovel to get to it, and Stoner Mountain was probably the first blog that wrote about them. Sadly, not much has changed after five years, they're still very much unknown. To be honest I'm very surprised that this band is not receiving the press they deserve. I hope that I can make a difference.

Dead Man's Band's sophomore album is full of melodious and beautiful guitar lines. It's a bluesy rock jam packed with emotions. At times it rocks, at times it slows down to a painful raspy grace, only to pick back up and jam a song or two later. But the best part are the vocals. The woman can wail like no other. Her singing is very powerful, reaches out and grabs you. It’s a throwback that sounds familiar, but not one you can place in time, they just know how to make that old music sound as fresh and as vital as ever.

They have generously donated their otherworldly music to this wonderful because all their albums are available as a free name-your-price download. I strongly suggest that you support the band by paying them something for this record and any of their others. Especially if you are a fan of theirs. For those of you that aren't, if you were to sit down and listen to it, I guarantee you will like at least few songs on there. Please just buy it, you can't go wrong.

23 January, 2017

And we are leaving Athens with this one, so I'm presenting you something a bit different. It's an old request that I finally managed to post. In case you were wondering, the request is of course not as old as the EP.

Mad John the Wise is a boiling pot of stoner, hard rock, heavy metal, alternative rock and elements of prog metal, like soft-hard dynamics, changing time signatures and tempos. The band uses heavy influences of folk and I would say even some sea shanties. All that gives them a quite interesting sound - intense and fragile at the same time.

I'm not a prog expert and am far removed from the scene, but to me these guys have it. Whatever 'it' is. Perhaps no one will be breaking down any doors to get it, but it's still a pretty good listen. Songs like The Hunt and Gatti Di Strada certainly makes Mad John the Wise worth downloading, especially it's a free name-your-price download.

22 January, 2017

I don't know what is going on in Athens' stoner rock scene lately, but they did it again. Who knows, maybe the Greeks want to conquer the world? Dr​.​Awkward and the Screws has been playing together since 2014 and this is their first release, a self-titled three-song EP.

You have here your stoner, your blues, your psych and 70s, all woven into something groovy. On the first track, The Screwdriver, the band sound like a more cheerful version of Pentagram and Witchcraft played through a heavy fuzz pedal. If I were to pick a song that got me into Dr​.​Awkward and the Screws, this would be it. Of course not because it's the first song, duh. But because it's so catchy. A very good beginning, this gets.
The second track, Seven, has basically the same vibe as The Screwdriver, but it's a bit slower and doomier. Walking, the last song, has such a funky groove, like Aerosmith's Walk This Way mixed with a Black Sabbath song. It's heavy, but the tune is light and listenable.

Dr​.​Awkward and the Screws' EP is definitely worth checking out and it will only take 15 minutes of your time. A definite promise for the near future!

21 January, 2017

Don't worry (or worry, if you don't like the concept), the Greek week is not over yet, it's just a teeny tiny break for this awesome single.

I guess we all know that this Dutch heavy psych/stoner rock band can kick some ass, but damn is Drive By Wire on fire this time. Their new single has been on repeat all day, what a great preview of their upcoming album. The Dutch veterans mixes slick guitar grooves with fuzzed out psych rock textures and wonderful vocals. Yep, Simone has such a fantastic singing ability, there is no describing the depth of raw power she has. Melt into this track, let itself wrap around you and take over!

19 January, 2017

Don't be too surprised when I tell you, that we have here yet another dope band from Athens. Hazy Sea is an instrumental stoner rock trio and just yesterday they released their debut album Electric Abyss.

Only a few minutes into Electric Abyss, and the positive vibes can immediately be felt. All the songs would fit perfectly in a Robert Rodriguez flick. Dusty, heavy psych stoner rock with an early 90s hard-rock feeling to their music, maybe even the same kind of psychedelic madness that the Smashing Pumpkins exuded on their old albums.

Trying to find a track to skip to get to the good stuff. Can't. It's all good. Great, in fact. My little review won't do it justice, so just listen to it. You shouldn't be disappointed!

18 January, 2017

Apparently the beautiful Greek landscapes are inspiring enough to write and record great stoner/desert albums, because Greece gave us another fine release. After five years away, the stoner rockers from Athens jump back into the game rocking hard, with their second EP called Jangala, which was released December 4, 2016.

Jangala features the same laid-back groovy sound as on their debut EP Meteorite, which create a perfect low desert vibe, but this record seems generally faster. The sound can be loosely compared to Elvis Deluxe's and 1000mods' early work, so expect a really fuzzy and warm guitar tone, like a desert full of cactuses on the hottest day. The highlight of the record, of course in my opinion, is Last Song For A Migrating Bird. It has equal amount of psychedilic, slow-to-midpaced groove in addition to some faster and heavier moments. The vocals are not always spot on, but the singing is very catchy and enjoyable.

Maybe it's not an essential stoner rock album, but it's surely one that must be heard. My only complaint is the number of the songs. Four tracks are definitely not enough. I want more!

17 January, 2017

We are still staying in Athens and the next Greek band on our little trip is the heavy sludge/doom band House Anxiety.

What is the first thing that comes to mind after listening to their first demo? Well, all the sludgy Phil Anselmo projects, because these guys have a really groovy NOLA vibe around their sound. Dirty, heavy and wonderfully raw. All of the songs on this album have very catchy riffs and even some cool solos. A solid sound with a bunch of tempo changes. Nothing new here, but it's a fun, exploitative, drugged up addition to the genre.

The demo as a whole is very nice and I enjoyed listening to it. Nothing more to say really. Just check it out. It's pay what you want through Bandcamp. Highly recommended for fans of Superjoint Ritual, Eyehategod and Iron Monkey!

16 January, 2017

I hope you guys have a valid passport, because we are staying in Greece just a little bit longer. Maybe even the whole week. The next Greek artist after Hazy Blue Something is Deaf Radio, a very promising quartet hailing from Athens. They're Greece's best young exponents of post-punk styled desert rock, or just as David Letterman would say - a wonderful rock 'n roll band.

Deaf Radio brings warmth to the harsh winter. Their debut album Alarm is full of infectious guitar hooks and some extremely ear-pleasing vocal harmonies, with a refreshing approach to constructing traditional stoner rock music. A mixture of early Queens of the Stone Age and Masters of Reality combined with a slightly post-punk vibe. This is just what I'd like to hear more often on stoner rock scene. The instruments are played well and the production is good without sounding over-produced. I don't think there is a need to review song after song, you just need to know that each song seems better than the last. Virtually no filler.

Overall, it's a great album and they rock out through the whole thing. I would recommend Alarm not only to the stoner rock lovers but also to fans of rock. They're certainly a band to follow, as we can tell from listening to their first album. It definitely made me a Deaf Radio fan!

15 January, 2017

Hazy Blue Something is basically the solo project of guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Thanos Vlachos (Out Of The Earth, ex-Chronic Herbal Influence - check these bands out, they are great) from Lamia, Greece.

The single The Devil In Me was released just four days ago. It's a very easy listening blues with Thanos' full deep voice and soulful guitar playing. A catchy tune with a relaxed vibe. Songs like this should come with warning labels: 'May cause repeated listens and become lodged in your head for weeks at a time'.

Hazy Blue Something shows the best way to escape the rush of the modern world is to construct your own dreamy universe.

14 January, 2017

ime for you to know the details. Dreadfest 2017 will take place on February 11th and 12th at Temple Of Boom in Leeds, UK. Lots of awesome bands representing dark, heavy, doom, grind and sludge music spread over 2 days!

12 January, 2017

Swedish doomsters Monolord have premiered a music video for their song "Lord of Suffering" taken from their single/EP Lord of Suffering​/​Die in Haze (released on August 12, 2016). The video is compiled from footage shot during Monolord's extensive US and EU touring last summer.

09 January, 2017

The Grim Gang is a four-piece grunge / hard rock hailing from Richmond, Virginia. Although The Grim Gang's career is very new - they just released their first, three-song demo EP Introducing​.​.​.​The Grim Gang - it looks quite promising.

The highlight of the EP is certainly the first track, Troublemaker. With its heavy and raw 90's sound and fast, catchy rhythm, it's a powerful song which will make your muscles move without you noticing. Exactly what a grunge song should be. The second track, Willow Branch, is a slower, ballad-esque rocker in the vein of Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains. The last song is a pretty straight forward cover of Nirvana's Pennyroyal Tea.

I really enjoyed the first demo EP of The Grim Gang. They caught my interest and can't wait to see a full album. If you like what you hear, then head over to their bandcamp and grab a digital copy for more listening pleasure. Also be sure to support them by checking out their Facebook, Soundcloud and Twitter.

05 January, 2017

Epic stoner metal/stoner doom is at the core of the duo Telekinetic Yeti, whose first full-length album is coming out march 2017, through Sump Pump Records. Check out the video for Stoned and Feathered, a track from their upcoming album, Abominable. It's a great presentation card for this band which creates a groovy, massive sound. Pre-orders for the album has started, links below.

03 January, 2017

Apparently the band reunited after 20 years, but I don't know much about these guys. I was lucky to find the release on Bandcamp. There are three of them, they are from San Juan, Puerto Rico and they've just released a catchy as hell single called La Mala Viene.

Sung in Spanish, it has elements of stoner rock, blues rock and psychedelic. Their single is a name your own price download on bandcamp. Check it out below and as always support the band if you like it!

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